Judge Gives State Juvenile Agency 10 Days To Report Back On Its Care

Juvenile Court Judge Peter Blanc needs to know children he places temporarily in the detention center receive the mental health treatment needed to be safe.

On Friday, he gave the state Department of Juvenile Justice 10 days to detail the steps it is taking to provide mental health and substance abuse assistance to children under his watch. He also gave the department up to 20 days to write a response to a recent investigation criticizing the Palm Beach County Regional Detention Center's mental health unit.

Children live in the 93-bed center, on 45th Street in West Palm Beach, from the time they are arrested until a judge orders them to residential programs. For the past few months, the department has argued Blanc has no say over how the state runs the center because there isn't any case pending before the court. The order would push the department into motion.

The department received the order late Friday and was reviewing it Monday afternoon, spokeswoman Tara Collins said. Blanc became concerned about how teens were treated at the center last year when a child identified as J.C. complained he wasn't getting the needed substance abuse treatment and counseling. The department pays $360,000 a year to a private company to treat juveniles held in the center.

Blanc enlisted the Juvenile Advocacy Project to investigate. The child eventually was sent to a long-term residence, and the complaint was dismissed. But the investigation continued, despite the department's efforts to stop it.

The Juvenile Advocacy Project completed a report in September and recommended ways to improve the mental health and substance abuse services. The department did not respond to the report or act on the recommendations.

At an Oct. 3 hearing, the department's legal counsel, Brian Berkowitz, told Blanc the center was safe and secure and there was no need for concern.

The department has until mid-December to write down whether it agrees with the recommendations, explain why, and, if needed, present any plan of action to better help children with addictions and mental health problems.

Paola Iuspa-Abbott can be reached at piuspa@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6631.